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Genestealers
Genestealers Genestealers are a Tyranid species used as infiltrators. They are unique among Tyranids due to their uncanny brain size, cunning and strength. History Genestealers were first encountered as the Ymgarl strain, on one of the moons of Ymgarl. This strain was able to adapt its body extremely quickly, able to grow wings or a burrowing tail. However, their most feared attribute was their tentacled maw. The Genestealer variant known as the Purestrain would be encountered by the Imperium at roughly the same time. Purestrains were found aboard freighters and Space Hulks, though they were known to be slightly different to the Ymgarl breed, as they lacked the ability to adapt quickly and focused more on stealth. During the Tyranid invasion of Ultramar, the Genestealer was notably used as a Shock Troop by the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Behemoth. The Tyranids introduced multiple new strains of Genestealer; the Hive Fleet strain, the Broodlord strain, the Adrenalin strain and the Vectorii-strain. This led to the attempted Purging of Ymgarl by the Space Marines of the Salamanders chapter, which was generally accepted to be a failure as many surviving Ymgarl Genestealers escaped on board Space Marine ships and freighters. Physiology and Reproduction Genestealers are adapted to survive without synapse for long periods of time. They will eat whatever they can, preferably meat, and will absorb everything in the meal. One good meal will be able to sustain a Genestealer for three Terran months, and they do not make waste. Like all Tyranids, they are composed entirely of a Cardiac-like muscle that enables them to never tire. As such, Genestealers can move constantly, though the have been recorded to build a lair or a nest, and hibernate their for extended periods of time. They are typically bipedal, though they can use their lower arms to move about on all fours. Their brains is in fact larger than the human brain, though they lack parts of it. The areas for speech are almost entirely gone and the area for emotion is not present. However, the areas for planning, movement and memory are immense, contributing to the fact that Genestealers have extremely good memory. Genestealers have six limbs; two clawed legs, and four arms. The lower pair of arms end in hands tipped with five fingers, including a thumb. This allows the Genestealer to grab and pull things, and even operate machinery such as touch-panels. However, these arms can still rip a man's arm from it's socket, and peel off Power Armour. The second pair of arms end in three diamond-hard talons that can shred light armour and cut a man's head off with a single swipe. Hive Fleet Genestealers have been seen to possess Biomorphs such as Adrenal Glands and Poison Sacks. Genestealers have two Endo-skeletons and a single Exo-skeleton. The first Endo-skeleton is buried beneath the muscle, and includes a ribcage of 36 rips fixed together, the spine and the skull. The second Endo-skeleton is layered over the muscle, and is rough like sandpaper. A layer of slightly fire-proof skin sits over this skeleton. The Exo-skeleton is a thick carapace that acts as a shield over the Genestealer's body. Genestealers have two hearts, an extremely strong stomach and two sets of lungs. This makes the Genestealer extremely hardy. A Genestealer has two tongues; a thin, snake-like instrument located in the middle of the jaw that can flick out and taste the air, and the Ovispositor, which looks like a ribbed tube ending with a spike, located at the back of the mouth. This tube is used to impregnate humans, Orks, Eldar or Tau with a Genestealer 'Germ Seed', and create what will become a Genestealer Cult. Synapse Genestealers do not need synapse, and are actively sent out of it's range. They are often seeded onto Space Hulks, which will hopefully reach a world with life on. Here, the Genestealers will infiltrate the world and infect individuals to begin a Cult. Groups of Genestealer broods will be led by a Broodlord, a particularly powerful Genstealer that will direct the Broods to greater power. Variants The Hive Fleet Strain The Purestrain The Broodlord The Genestealer Familiar The Patriarch The Ymgarl Strain The Warrior Strain The Stalker Strain The Scythe Strain